The 2025-26 season was filled with uncertainty for the New Orleans Pelicans. Coming into the season with no control of their first-round pick, it was unclear how competitive this team was going to be. Then, after Willie Green was fired, it was unclear what, if anything, would change under interim head coach James Borrego. At the trade deadline, it was unknown whether the front office would stand pat or become a major seller. Through all this uncertainty and questions, one thing is clear: the time to rebuild is now, as Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen can be concrete building blocks.
For some teams, it takes a couple of seasons to determine whether a young player fits into the team's long-term outlook. But this season for New Orleans, it's clear that both of their 2025 lottery picks should be the future of Pelicans basketball.
Despite New Orleans getting played off the court Friday night, losing to the Boston Celtics 144-118 at TD Garden, that game gave fans just more reason to be invested in Fears and Queen.
The future is already here
Fears finished the game with 36 points, three rebounds, six assists, and three steals. From the tip, his shot wasn't falling, but as the game progressed, he got hotter, scoring 21 of his 36 points in the second half. For DQ, fans once again got to see how much more impactful his game can be next to another rim protector, with Kevon Looney in the starting five. Queen had 25 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and one steal.
To see both Pelicans rookies have big games like this in the second-last game of the season, on top of the elite production they've brought all season, is a great sign for the future.
Although the biggest story to me was Queen's 11 rebounds as he's struggled on the glass all season, and has continued to prove that when playing next to another big man, that part of his game is better, the biggest story was his four assists. Queen is now fourth all-time for assists by a rookie center behind Brad Daugherty, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Alvin Adams.
Fears is also on track to make history himself. With one more game left this season, Sunday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves, he could become the 11th different player in franchise history to play 82 games in a season. Fears has also been averaging 30.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 6.3 assists over his last four games.
The combination of health, the history they are making, and the potential they are flashing should give Joe Dumars and company zero good reason not to enter a rebuild centered around Fears and Queen. The Pelicans have been in NBA mediocrity for too long, and this rookie tandem symbolizes a way to escape that.